I took Desert Autoplex to small claims court and lost the case for one reason only: I took their word when they said they had completed all the repairs and maintenance on the PDI (Pre-Delivery Inventory) as they promised BEFORE I took possession of the RV, and so I trustingly signed the "Purchased AS IS" form. The judge who heard the case clearly recognized issues with Desert Autoplex's business practices, but the loss of the case came down to my signature on that one form.
DO NOT sign the "Purchased AS IS" form until you have had your coach/vehicle inspected thoroughly by an independent 3rd party, even if Desert Autoplex has done a "walk-through" with you and "shown" you the supposed "repairs" they claim they have done. For example, they "showed" me that the coach batteries were "good" as indicated by the gauge inside the coach, however, the coach batteries died immediately upon taking possession of the coach. What I didn't realize at the time, is that when they showed me the gauge, they actually had the coach plugged in to AC power, giving a false positive reading. The batteries were actually older than the coach itself, and the voltage read less than 9.
Another example was the back up camera, which wasn't functioning properly during the test drive. I asked for this repair to be put on the PDI, which it was. When I did the walk-through, the back up camera appeared to be working, but as soon as I drove off the lot and hit the first bump, the screen went black. I reached behind it, and realized it had been "repaired" with electrical tape.
A third example was that the oil change meter read 700+ days overdue, noted by my mechanic when I took the RV to have some of these repairs and maintenance done. I had no way of knowing whether Desert Autoplex had forgotten to reset the meter, or if they had neglected to change the oil (oil change was stated on the PDI). I repeatedly requested a copy of the service records, but never received them. In total, I had to spend over $4,000 on a list of repairs and routine maintenance (more items than I mention here) that were clearly stated on the PDI and agreed to be completed BEFORE I took possession of the vehicle.
I tried to resolve the issues with Desert Autoplex for many months via calls, emails, etc., and even sent letters/emails and spoke directly to the owner of the company, Aaron K*****. At one point they considered doing the repairs if I brought the coach back to them (a 2+ hour drive), but it was not safe to drive that distance due to the seat belts not retracting, the back up camera non-functional, and the side steps motor broken and stuck in the extended position (all repairs that were included on the PDI). Desert Autoplex finally agreed to repair the seat belts at my local dealership, but would not return my calls to negotiate any other repairs after that.
In conclusion, I repeat...DO NOT sign the purchased "AS IS" paperwork until you have had your vehicle thoroughly inspected by an independent 3rd party, and are completely satisfied with the condition of the vehicle. Request a copy of the PDI and go through every last line during your independent inspection to make sure those repairs have been done satisfactorily. It will save you time, money, and grief!
(BTW, Desert Autoplex has an "F" rating, and has lost accreditation with the Better Business Bureau.)
Desert Autoplex RV Reviews
I took Desert Autoplex to small claims court and lost the case for one reason only: I took their word when they said they had completed all the repairs and maintenance on the PDI (Pre-Delivery Inventory) as they promised BEFORE I took possession of the RV, and so I trustingly signed the "Purchased AS IS" form. The judge who heard the case clearly recognized issues with Desert Autoplex's business practices, but the loss of the case came down to my signature on that one form.
DO NOT sign the "Purchased AS IS" form until you have had your coach/vehicle inspected thoroughly by an independent 3rd party, even if Desert Autoplex has done a "walk-through" with you and "shown" you the supposed "repairs" they claim they have done. For example, they "showed" me that the coach batteries were "good" as indicated by the gauge inside the coach, however, the coach batteries died immediately upon taking possession of the coach. What I didn't realize at the time, is that when they showed me the gauge, they actually had the coach plugged in to AC power, giving a false positive reading. The batteries were actually older than the coach itself, and the voltage read less than 9.
Another example was the back up camera, which wasn't functioning properly during the test drive. I asked for this repair to be put on the PDI, which it was. When I did the walk-through, the back up camera appeared to be working, but as soon as I drove off the lot and hit the first bump, the screen went black. I reached behind it, and realized it had been "repaired" with electrical tape.
A third example was that the oil change meter read 700+ days overdue, noted by my mechanic when I took the RV to have some of these repairs and maintenance done. I had no way of knowing whether Desert Autoplex had forgotten to reset the meter, or if they had neglected to change the oil (oil change was stated on the PDI). I repeatedly requested a copy of the service records, but never received them. In total, I had to spend over $4,000 on a list of repairs and routine maintenance (more items than I mention here) that were clearly stated on the PDI and agreed to be completed BEFORE I took possession of the vehicle.
I tried to resolve the issues with Desert Autoplex for many months via calls, emails, etc., and even sent letters/emails and spoke directly to the owner of the company, Aaron K*****. At one point they considered doing the repairs if I brought the coach back to them (a 2+ hour drive), but it was not safe to drive that distance due to the seat belts not retracting, the back up camera non-functional, and the side steps motor broken and stuck in the extended position (all repairs that were included on the PDI). Desert Autoplex finally agreed to repair the seat belts at my local dealership, but would not return my calls to negotiate any other repairs after that.
In conclusion, I repeat...DO NOT sign the purchased "AS IS" paperwork until you have had your vehicle thoroughly inspected by an independent 3rd party, and are completely satisfied with the condition of the vehicle. Request a copy of the PDI and go through every last line during your independent inspection to make sure those repairs have been done satisfactorily. It will save you time, money, and grief!
(BTW, Desert Autoplex has an "F" rating, and has lost accreditation with the Better Business Bureau.)